Good riddance

Crips gang co-founder Tookie Williams is finally taking the eternal celestial dirtnap. Much has been made of his generosity and a willingness to try and turn other youth from the gang life. While I applaud him for doing that with the time he had left, it doesn't mean he didn't deserve to die. When the sentence was handed down 24 years ago, it was for the vicious murder of four people; there were no stipulations saying that if he was a good boy and participated in community service, it would be commuted to life in prison. Even if a clause like that made it in to the decision, it wouldn't have mattered - Williams had a sordid history in prison on death row, including beating guards and other inmates. While it's possible that he grew a conscience and tried to reach out and help others that were in trouble, it doesn't change the person he was.